Israel on Monday attacked a series of senior Iranian government facilities, including a huge prison and military command centers in Tehran, The Associated Press reported. Notably, the attacks came after Iran sent missiles and drones flying at Israel in retaliation, after the United States bombed three of Iran’s nuclear facilities a day before.
Israeli Hits on Evin Prison and Revolutionary Guard HQ
On the list of targets was Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, a facility widely condemned to detain political prisoners, dual citizens, and Westerners frequently employed as bargaining chips in diplomatic disputes, the report said. Iranian state television even broadcast what appeared to be black-and-white surveillance video of the moment the strike hit the prison gate.
The Israeli Defense Ministry confirmed the strike, adding that other targets included Revolutionary Guard security headquarters and military command centers in the Palestine Square, as reported by the AP. “The Iranian dictator will be punished with full force for attacking the Israeli home front,” the ministry said in a statement, per the US-based news agency.
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Official Claims Israel’s Strategy Is Pressure, Not Regime Change
Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official told the agency that the Israeli objective isn’t to topple Iran’s government but to simply exert enough pressure on the country’s regime so as to prevent further escalation. The official further suggested that Israel is not seeking an outright change of regime in Iran.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump took to Truth Social, the social media platform he owns and said, “If the current Iranian Regime cannot MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??
How Did the Israel-Iran Conflict Escalate?
The crisis escalated after the US bombarded three key Iranian nuclear facilities with bunker-buster bombs on Sunday, including the Fordo enrichment plant. The UN nuclear watchdog (IAEA) chief, Rafael Grossi, stated, “Given the explosive payload used, very important damage, is likely to have been caused.”
Anticipating the attack, Iran for its part, had relocated nuclear material from the plants ahead of time, the AP quoted Iranian spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi as saying. Grossi also reportedly said Iran’s foreign minister informed him this month that there had been special security steps taken to safeguard nuclear materials.
Iran Retaliates Under Operation True Promise 3
Respnding to both the Israeli and US attacks, Iran launched a new wave of Operation “True Promise 3”, striking cities such as Haifa and Tel Aviv. There were reports of explosions in Jerusalem as well, but no damage has been confirmed.
In Tehran, observers witnessed several airstrikes during the day. Iran’s Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi has warned the US, saying the attacks had provided Iranian forces with a “free hand” to strike back at American interests.
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Putin Says US and Israeli Attacks Are ‘Absolutely Unprovoked Aggression’
Following a Moscow meeting with Iran’s foreign minister, President Vladimir Putin termed the US and Israeli attacks “absolutely unprovoked aggression” while suggesting that both countries are driving the region toward more instability.
In Europe, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said, “The worries of reprisal and this war getting bigger are gigantic. Particularly the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is something that would be very risky and not good for anyone,” as reported by the Associated Press.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil shipping lanes. Iranian officials have once again threatened that they may close it down.
What’s the Status of the Nuclear Pact?
These developments come more than a decade after Iran’s 2015 nuclear pact with global powers started to disintegrate. Ever since the US unilaterally withdrew under Trump, Iran has escalated its uranium enrichment to near weapons-grade levels and imposed restrictions on international monitoring.
